What does the novel’s use of an unreliable first-person narrator reveal about the psychological effort required to reconcile monstrous acts with one’s self-image?

If you have read Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl (2012), how do Amy Dunne and Lillian O’Malley’s performances of femininity differ in their motivations and ultimate goals?

To what extent does Nora McCormick subvert or reinforce the archetype of the “wronged woman” through her performance of grief?

How does Kirsten King’s writing style and background inform the novel’s blend of dark comedy and psychological thriller?

What conclusions does the novel come to about women’s relationships? Is genuine solidarity impossible within a competitive culture, or is its failure primarily a result of Lillian’s self-absorption?

After researching the controversial “Ambien defense,” how does the novel’s climax explore the tension between legal responsibility and moral culpability for Lillian’s actions?

What is the narrative function of Henry Davis’s ambiguous characterization, and how does his status as a shared object of desire fuel the women’s rivalry?

Discuss the purpose of minor characters like Hector Jimenez and Dr. Cohen. What is their role in the narrative and in Lillian’s life?